GUKPT National League

I have decided to give a few of the events in the GUKPT National League a go on Blue Square in my quest to qualify for a big live tournament. The league is already a week in but I only started tonight in the $15 NLH Freeze Out (52 runners .. pays to 8). I guess to qualify through these you will have to enter every event (and win a few), which I doubt I will be be doing, but they are cash prizes so have nothing to lose.

In the early stages I fell into the trap of slow playing a couple of hands to maximise my winnings. In two big pots, despite being heads up, I lost the first to runner-runner spades to get the flush I had already hit on the turn (holding two spades) counterfeited by my opponents higher spade by the river. And in the second, again heads up, the guy hit runner-runner hearts to beat my flopped straight with a flush.

I did then manage to get back into the tourney in level 3 when my KK held up against 2 opponents ....

......this was doubly satisfying as I had managed to lay down QQ the hand before under great resistance and re-raises to my initial raise.

Then after raising too much with 2 limpers in the pot (possibly because of my outdraw memories from earlier) another KK was wasted as everyone folded and I reached the break 9th of 35 remaining with 3,970 chips. I feel my stack would have been much bigger than this at this stage had I taken down some pots when I had the chance and not being so worried about building a pot with my 2nd KK.

In the 2nd hour I got straight into another unlucky outdraw when my flopped 2 pair 78, hit the flop of 789 almost smack in the face, but the Ten turn slowed me down and I was happy with how the pot size had been controlled to only have to call a small bet on the river to be beaten by J9 with a minimum loss.

After a couple of unsuccessful moves my dwindling stack was again bolstered by a nice looking KK when it set up again against AQ all in, leaving me 11th with 20 left. A couple of hands later than that I raised smaller this time with AA, only to see all fold and give me the blinds.

By the 2nd break I was desperate sitting 10th of 13 left; would be nice to hit the final table and earn myself an extra point at 9th place, but it was looking bleak.

But patience is one of the things I have in abundance and managed to steer my stack just into the money and to 3 points total for my first League appearance.



Until next time

Keep it tight!